Rise, Ascended!
by Cecelia Moran
Summary: The Ascended were their last hope, and no one expected this... Sorry, I'm bad with summaries and character limits. Expect romance and heroics from a nalthema. DISCONTINUED
1. Prologue

**Defiants:**

The five stole through the shadows toward the battlefield, one of the larger member held two white blankets over his arm, the only light spot in the darkening world around them. Two of them were meant to carry the bodies back to the Life Factory while the others guarded against stray enemies. Twilight was the safest time for these excursions since that was about when the dragon minions changed shifts as it were. "Who are we looking for?" the Ethian asked, glancing back at the Bahmi who carried the list of names and caricatures of their quarries.  
>"A Kelari rogue named Jacek Kelvathar and an Ethian cleric called Nashota Sundancer," he replied. Off in the distance was a flash and for the smallest moment, peace hushed the war-torn land of Telara. These flashes of light and peace came only a few times a day, always as the sun was setting and always when the Defiants in groups of five ventured from the life factories to reclaim the dead for Ascension. Some of the remaining March Wardens and other civilians said that these flashes were the angels of the Vigil, coming to Ascend the bodies of lost Guardians. The Defiants scoffed at the idea, but some wished it were true in the very depths of their souls.<br>When they came across the body of Jacek Kelvathar, it was hard to identify him; the Kelari's dexterous frame was mangled and bloody which hinted at goblin work. All was accounted for except one ear which had probably been taken as a prize (more evidence of goblins). The blanket they wrapped Jaek in was large, meaning the body was not in sight a great deal. When they found the cleric's body she was cleanly dead, it was unclear how it had happened until one of the Bahmi rolled her over. A knife had been driven into her back at three different points, the work of a Mathosian assassin. Nashota's death would have been as painful as Jacek's, though it would have looked better at a funeral.  
>They carried the bodies back, skirting the emerging horrors of the plane of death; the Ethian preparing to explain to Sylver Valis that they were unable to retrieve the ear of one of his kindred, for the great machinist was also a native of the Fire Islands. They had all seen the name Sundancer twice before as well, all Ethian, all sisters, all dead and all to be raised within the week.<br>Inside the ancient Life Factory was a manifold group of individuals such as Sylver Valis and his apprentice Stavel, Dacia Ultan, the Ascended Asha Catari and the great Ethian Orphiel Farwind. Of the March Wardens only Warden Denegar remained. Many others stayed there, machinists or simply townsfolk, awaiting their salvation. All bodies had to be checked with Stavel and that was the worst time, it was then you had to look at their faces.  
>"Group three," the Ethian said and then caught Stavel's arm, "We need to talk to Sylver about one of the bodies we brought in today."<br>"Why? What's the trouble?" Stavel was kind and inquisitive, but the marks of experience shone on his otherwise young face.  
>"The Kelari, he appears to have been killed by goblins and you know how they get..." The Ethian couldn't finish, the act was so gruesome and horrifying he didn't want to dwell on it, but Stavel understood.<br>"I take it someone took a prize." The Ethian nodded. "What a moment." Stavel waved his hand over his head, **"Sylver!"** The spry Kelari inventor jogged over to them and the apprentice recounted the sad discovery.  
>"Show him to me," Sylver demanded and the Ethian pulled back the covering entirely. "Well, you're right about goblins, but I think I can complete the Ascension process without the other ear, the regeneration segment should compensate for its absence. A shame Jacek had to be subject to such a thing, he was an honorable warrior and true to his ancestry."<br>"You knew him?" Stavel inquired, surprised.  
>"Is it so odd one Kelari should know another?"<br>"No, I suppose it isn't; my condolences, Sylver."  
>"Thank you; now move along, we haven't got forever to get these fighters Ascended. How many more have you got on your list, Ethian?"<br>"Just one, an Alethea Birelwa," he replied.  
>"Good, you'll go out to get her tomorrow and we'll begin the process that evening. Sleep as well as you can, for it may be our last night alive."<br>"And you," the Ethian said, leaving to find the rest of his group who had a carefully selected spot near a furnace and close to the place were Sylver, Orphiel, Asha, Dacia and Denegar had the majority of their meetings. The Kelari would usually relay all that was said.  
>"It's almost over," one of the Bahmi said, an odd tone creeping into her voice. "In a few days time, we'll go to sleep and we won't wake up. We won't exist anymore."<br>"It is hard to understand," one of the Kelari replied in a low voice, his blue black hair falling over his ever alert eyes, "We will become a paradox, but the Failsafe should hold it in place."  
>"Spirits, I hope so," the Ethian whispered. No one slept easy that night and many didn't sleep at all. Stavel and Sylver were still trying to perfect their machines before they had to be used.<br>The Ethian, the two Kelari and the two Bahmi went out the next evening to find the body of Alethea Birelwa, another Kelari. When they returned the whole factory was in a tense quiet, a pin could be heard dropping. The group aided the placing of the dead in the Ascension chambers that the machinists had built, one by one.  
>"Are we ready, Stavel?" Sylver asked, his voice seeming to echo in the silence.<br>"Yes, sir," Stavel replied, "You can flip the switch now, or someone can give a speech."  
>Sylver glanced over at Asha Catari who nodded. He placed a hand on the lever, "Rise, Defiants!" he yelled and he pulled it to the right, joining the circuits for the first and last time.<p>

When Nashota started to breathe she didn't even notice, it was something so ordinary and instinctive she didn't take the sign. It was the pain that told her she was alive and it followed the breathing. A searing pain in her back that made her vision turn red awakened her from her trance-like state of wandering.

**Guardians:**

Light swirled around Adenessa and she felt as if she was floating above the ground, so comfortable, so sweet was this respite, but not peaceful. Not peaceful because the dead plagued her mind. All the dead, comrades, commanders and enemies, they were all shown to her in her mind's eye, a nightmare from which she could not rouse herself.  
>She suddenly felt something solid beneath her and was not as comfortable as she had been. <em>Awaken, chil<em>_d of Silverwood_,a voice ordered, _It is time to save Telara. _Adenessa gasped when she opened her eyes, she was looking into the face of a Messenger of the Vigil. She knew she should have risen to bow to the currier of the gods, but she was still weakened from the wounds she had sustained in battle.  
>"Did I die?" she inquired in a low voice that seemed to encompass all the tones of the forest from the chirping squirrels to the rustling leaves to the babbling brooks.<br>_Yes child, but the gods deemed you a mighty warrior, so you have been Ascended by the grace of the Vigil. Do not squand__er you time, elf. _With that, the messenger rose, to leave, its golden voice still ringing in her ears. Though prayers were meant to be made before alters, Adenessa felt the Vigil shouldn't mind if she thanked them from her place on the floor so she proceeded, giving them their names: _Bahralt__ of our cities__, Thedeor__ of our swords, Mariel-Taun of our hearts, Tavril of our land and Thontic of our seas, I thank thee for the chance I have been afforded to save my home, in the name of the Vigilant Gods, amen.  
><em>Adenessa rose to a sitting position and looked at her surroundings, finding herself in the Ardenburgh Cathedral. Around her she saw spirits of those who would never live again and the Messengers carrying more bodies into the room. She saw few she recognized and none she knew well enough to call friends, but her closest ally was a Mathosian she remembered from the Battle for Port Scion, they had fought under Zareph Mathos against Aedraxis. Adenessa owed this human her life in that fight. She pulled herself to her feet, testing her legs for a moment before walking over.  
>"It seems we are allies once more, Mathosian," she said and the human looked up.<br>"So it does, perhaps you will finally repay me for the service I rendered you at the port."  
>"If the opportunity presents itself… it seems as if we were never properly introduced, I am Adenessa Lassdraughtar." The elf offered a hand, which was taken gladly.<br>Once standing, the human said, "My name is Amberleigh Undovaul and it's a pleasure. I hope." She finished with a smirk. Elves had a habit of being untrustworthy, but this quality was heightened in their island cousins, the Kelari who had joined with the Defiant scum.  
>"Well, let's finish what we started," Adenessa said and the two proceeded down to the ground level, entirely unaware of what would soon take place.<p> 


	2. Chapter 1: Reorientation

**Defiants:**

It must have been about 4 in the morning when the process had completed and the newcomers either fell from the chambers, stunned by the experience, or slowly exited, unable to come to terms with what happened and untrustworthy of their surroundings. Jacek* was among one of the last to step down from the small, foot high circular platforms. He wanted to know why he had been so painfully reawakened from his rather pleasant sleep. He looked up and down the dark, dirty hall, seeing people he thought he recognized. _Is that Birelwa? Spirits, I've forgotten what she looked like._ He cursed himself inwardly for the unacceptable blunder._ And Sundancer, why is she here? Well, there's Farwind and Catari so it's obviously a military affair, but if that is the case, what's Sylver doing about this place? No, he should be here, these machines are his, I am certain. _

The first thing Nashota did when she moved out of the chamber was search frantically for her sisters, easily sighting her brazen twin, Rhasidhiel**. She sprinted toward her and threw her arms around the slightly taller Ethian. "Rhasha!" She was happy to see her after all that time she'd spent wandering blindly, but she did not cry. The cleric hadn't shed tears since the death of their parents when she was fourteen and here she was, four years later.

"Shota!" she cried in delight, returning the embrace. Their thoughts turned to the same place quickly. "Where's Tanesha?" they inquired of each other simultaneously. Nashota laughed once, her time away from her twin had made her forget how close their thoughts were. Letting go of each other they turned to search room, but not even the skilled rogue Rhasha saw the mage until she draped her arms over their necks.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, innocence, again, making her ignorant.

"You!" Nashota said, pulling her little sister's delicate frame into her arms, "Why can't you realize how much we have to worry about you, Tanesha?" The sixteen-year-old's face fell for a moment, remembering the promise Rhasha and Shota had made to their mother and father when they all left the Droughtlands for Meridian in Freemarch lo those many years ago. Tanesha was the family pet, kind, rather docile and a true example of the statement 'ignorance is bliss', Rhasidhiel was strong and independent with a mule-like stubborn streak. Nashota brought them together with the strength of her love, her loyalty, her valiance and her single-minded attitude. They were all beautiful in the Ethian style: dark skinned and dark haired with mysterious eyes that made you think they could search your soul. The Sundancers also sported traditional tribal markings, Nashota's was the most obvious in purple ink on the back of her neck while the other had their's in black that started just under their ears and moved out slightly across their temporomandibular joints, and Rhasha had other lines going along under her jaw. Almost in unison they noticed the people of importance and moved toward them, understanding that orders were soon to be given and received.

Alethea Birelwa looked over the entirety of the gathering, unable to discern where she should stand on the event. It was easy to ascertain that this was a military tribunal by those in attendance, though she knew little about what was currently happening in Telara. She could easily see that she must have somehow lost a fragment of time.

Her sea green eyes caught on red-black hair, light lavender skin and a captivating pair of searching midnight blue eyes. Those eyes she had adored since she first saw them, the surprisingly animated eyes of a nalthema she harbored secret affection for. _Jacek_. The name played in a loop in her head and she was unable to look away from his startling gaze that seemed to be dominated by color as hers was. She combed her fingers quickly through her short black hair, knowing full well the action was vain and useless since the idea of her hair being capable of disarray was singularly hysterical. She pulled away from the gaze for half a second to find herself (thankfully) fully clothed in a white cotton shirt over which was a close fitting, lightly armored vest and her lower body was clad in tight brown leather leggings. On her feet were old boots and she had thin gloves to keep her fingers from chaffing on whatever weapon she might use and to keep the surprisingly soft skin of her hands from tearing on whatever might come in contact with them.

When she reestablished eye contact with Jacek she took in more of his appearance, such as the fact his face and nose seemed a bit too long for him to be conventionally handsome, his tall, leanly muscular frame and the fact he was dressed much as she was, marking their only similarity besides the hue of their skin. Alethea had once been connected to half a dozen spirits before the Rifts destroyed all type of civilization and Jacek was, as she had previously noted, a nalthema, unable to bond. They'd met in training and the city girl in her couldn't help but fall for the rough outlander from the wilds of Shimmersand. Jacek had not shown any interest, but Alethea was not incredibly forward, lurking in the shadows to watch him converse with others who followed their path.

Alethea turned away as her minds nipped at more painful memories and she soon saw someone she had come to love as her sister, the warrior maid Tirialiel Inandraan. She ghosted through the crowd to her friend's imposing figure that almost breached six feet tall. Tiria could have been mistaken for a Bahmi where it not for her slimmer figure, the sharpness of her features, her ears and the fact that the Bahmi had slightly more pink in their coloring.

"Greetings, Tiria," she said, causing the taller woman to whirl around with a fierceness to her that dissipated as soon as she recognized her.

"Alli!" A smile flickered across her face for half a second. Serious, serious Tirialiel, always meant to be a hero. "How is the bard this fine day?"

"I do not believe it is a fine day, Tiria, but I believe I am well. And the champion?"

"Healthy as a spirit on a feast day." Kelari feast days hadn't been enacted in years, but the idea was the that not only would those of this dimension eat and drink their fill, but the spirits would be strengthened and honored by the celebrations. "Have you seen Blue Eyes?" Blue Eyes was Tiria's nick name for Jacek since Alethea had chosen to enlighten her of the affection she had for him. At her nod Tiria looked at her knowingly, probably expecting she had looked for Jacek before she had looked for her friend and that might well have been true.

"He looked well," Alli deadpanned. An amused glint lit Tiria's eyes, she knew Alli very well and knew when she wished to talk about a certain subject, but had nothing to add to what had already been said in past conversations.

Before another word could be uttered by either of them High General Asha Catari's loud voice overtook the hall, "Defiants! Welcome back to the world of the living! Believe me when I say I know being dead can be quite disorienting, but we have little time. It is our intention to send you into the past to avert this future in which we now reside. Orphiel, Sylver and Stavel have completed all the necessary adjustments to send you, Ascended, back to the very day the Failsafe was completed. You'll all need to check with trainers for you weapons and get to the Failsafe location. When I say get to I mean fight your way to, which I'm sure none of you are strangers to doing. Good luck and may your skill protect and guide you." With that Asha stepped down and there was a bit of a confusing flurry to reach the trainers since all were eager to again bear arms, everyone felt exposed without them. Alethea and Tirialiel were forced to separate, as were the Ethian sisters, but since the outcasted nalthema had engaged in conversation with no one, he remained as he was, an observer content to watch other's sorrow, so oblivious to his own.

Now they understood they had all been dead, but only some remembered their deaths and in some cases those who did not were better off. There were about a hundred Ascended and they hailed from all over Telara whether it be the Droughtlands, Shimmersand, the Moonshade Highlands, Scarwood Reach, Scarlet Gorge, Ember Isle, Freemarch, Stonefield or even Iron Pine Peak. None came from Stillmoor, Gloamwood or Silverwood as they were Guardian haunts where pious sages clung to the old orders, refusing change.

**Guardians:**

Adenessa and Amberleigh reached the first floor to find people praying at the alters within the cathedral and healers attempting to aid the sick and wounded. Outside, undead scourges desecrated the graves of the dead and inflicted further pain to the living. They slid out to speak with the commanders who did their best to hold back the hoard.

"Thank the Vigil you've come!" the woman said, turning to glance in their direction. "Find Shyla Starhearth, she'll tell you what to do, but arm yourselves-" she nodded toward a pile of weaponry near the entryway- "and feel free to dispose of any enemies that cross your path." Amberleigh hefted a sturdy warhammer, her fingers and arms remembering themselves while Adenessa retrieved a knife and short sword that were balanced fairly close to her liking. The armor they wore was substandard, but the world was torn apart, it couldn't be expected to have the best on hand at moment's notice.

They started quickly toward the lower town, but not before slicing the heads off some of Aedraxis's corrupted soldiers and dispatching a few of the ghostly horrors that terrorized the remaining townspeople. Shyla and several Guardian footmen were situated in the town square and it seemed as soon as Amberleigh and Adenessa showed up they fought harder. After fighting off the large wave of predators Shyla spoke, "We need to eradicate the Defiants, Ascended. Do not wait with us here for our deaths, go forth to Valor Hold before Thedeor Field, find Cyril Kalmar and Frederic Kain, they'll give you further direction. Good luck, sisters, let us not die in vain."

The constant redirection was getting on Amberleigh's nerves, why didn't the woman at the Ardenburgh Cathedral just tell them to go to Valor Hold? Well, perhaps not all Ascended were sent to the same front and only Shyla knew where to direct them. This she deemed a reasonable explanation and glanced over at her companion. Adenessa was the image of an elf, tall and willowy, every limb speaking of its grace. Her hair was reddish-brown, pulled from her face in two braids and her eyes were pale blue-grey. Her face was narrow with a pointed chin and smooth, pale complexion. She had a pale green Mark of the Forest that was a V on her brow, the point coming to the bridge of her nose. The Mark was waves and swirls, a softer design than the one Amberleigh herself sported as a Mathosian.

Never let it be said that Adenessa Lassdraughtar was a starer, but this human seemed too gentle to wield the hammer in her hands. Amberleigh Undoval bore the appearance of a damsel in distress with light blonde hair that fell slightly past her shoulders, a heart-shaped face and dark brown eyes. The Mathosian could not have been over four and twenty with fair skin and almost invisible freckles dusting across her nose. The clue to her status as an honored warrior was the markings she wore: a dark red mark started under the far corner of each eye and up toward the bridge of her nose, but did not meet. Just below that a dark red mark started under the pupil of each eye and came all the way up, splitting in two to create a diamond where the marks above should have met. She also had horizontal marks going from the corners of her eyes over the temporal dome to the exact spot where a human's ears connect with their head. Beside Amberleigh flew the fairy she had been attached to before her death, just as the razorbeast, Amaranda, was bonded to Adenessa. The fairy was the product of a combination of summoning and binding spells the human had learned due to her choice of using some of her power in a Druidic manner. Amaranda was faithful to Adenessa because she was a beast, tamed and directed by her and her alone.

The path to Valor Hold was not so very long, but treacherous as it wound through Defiant infested woods. More than once did they come across centurions herding along magitech constructs that were built with the sole purpose of harvesting power from Tavril's domain. The camp itself was just that, a camp. Tents were arranged in neat rows and everything was orderly as should be required. Kalmar and Kain were near the entrance facing Thedeor Field atop horses, surrounded by more soldiers.

"At long last!" Frederic Kain called to the pair, "The final Ascended! Did Shyla keep you darning socks in Ardenburgh?"

Amberleigh ignored his attempt at gender humor and spoke loudly, "Have you orders to give us, Commander Kain, or would you have us stay back from the front lines woolgathering as you are?"

"Aye, Mathosian," Cyril Kalmar interjected, "Find a mount and ride with us to the Pillars of Regulos, it is time they came down!" The only mounts left were a pair of Tartagons, but these suited them rather well, Adenessa because it contrasted with her and Amberleigh because she seemed to belong with the great creature.

Adenessa had also taken a bow from the pile in Ardenburgh and rode on the fringes as the group left Valor Hold for the rise of land where the Rift Kalmar had mentioned was situated. Amberleigh remained close by, her magic an asset to the protection of the company. The voices of the bards filled the air, their songs giving the Ascended the courage and strength to ride through Thedeor Field, past the Etins and warlocks, past the catapults and weapon-wielding skeletons. Into the fray they plunged, obliterating those who crossed their path and giving credibility to the saying 'the only way out is through.'

_**A/N:** You may have noticed a few symbols accompanying the first instance of a name and that was for pronunciation purposes. Also mistakes are probably due to the fact that I skim when I edit and I don't have a beta reader to tell me what I've done wrong._

_*Jacek is a Polish name meant to be said as YAH-sek_

_**Rhasidhiel is pronounced RAH-shuh-HEEL_

_Don't forget that reviews are better than Jacek Kelvathar's eyes._


	3. Author

Chapter 2: Collision

Guardians:

The Pillars of Regulos truly were not far from Valor Hold and there weren't many enemies between the Rift and the camp until one reached the base of the hill.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> That was the last thing I wrote in this fanfiction, over two months ago. I'm ready to give up on this, but these characters and this conflict will be a part of my Doctor Who/Chronicles of Narnia crossover, but not until I introduce the character of Cadoc and he's 19. Extensive knowledge of those fandoms is not really required and it's actually prefered that you don't know **everything** for it all to make sense. I'm sorry that I'm leaving off with this, but if anyone really wants this back you can tell me and I'll try my best to get it back up and running. My real life just gets in the way of my writing life and believe me, I wish it didn't. -Cecelia_


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